這是工程師們首次向大眾公佈，大量的鍍金鏡，這將會是新一代太空望遠鏡的核心。
韋伯太空望遠鏡（James Webb Telescope）是哈伯太空望遠鏡（Hubble Space Telescope）的接班人，當它在2018年發射後，將會是有史以來，被送進太空最大的鏡子。
組成韋伯太空望遠鏡主要鏡片的每一片六角鏡，都是用超輕量的鈹製成，並且鍍有氣化金。
這一層鍍金，能提高主要鏡片的紅外線反射率。
新望遠鏡將由18片鏡片組成，直徑6.5公尺。而哈伯太空望遠鏡，主要鏡片的直徑則是2.4公尺。
哈伯太空望遠鏡的體積，大約等於一部校車…
韋伯太空望遠鏡的體積，則接近一座網球場。
哈伯太空望遠鏡目前繞著地球運行，新的望遠鏡則會在1,500萬公里外的第二拉格朗日點（second Lagrange point），跟著地球繞行太陽。
這距離能讓韋伯太空望遠鏡，不被輻射損壞，也不被它自己的紅外線干擾。
世界各地的科學家，將會用新的望遠鏡，來捕捉超過1,350億年前，最早出現在宇宙中的星系的影像。
英文原文：
For the first time, engineers have revealed to the public the massive array of gold mirrors that will be heart of the next generation space telescope.
The James Webb Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope’s successor, will house the largest mirror ever to be sent to space when it launches in 2018.
Each of the hexagonal mirrors that make up the primary mirror on the James Webb Telescope is made from ultra-lightweight beryllium and coated in vaporized gold.
The gold coating boosts the infrared light reflectivity of the primary mirror.
The new telescope’s 6.5-meter-long diameter is made from 18 of these mirror segments. In comparison, the Hubble telescope’s primary mirror has a diameter of 2.4 meters.
The Hubble telescope is about the size of a school bus … whereas the Webb telescope’s size is comparable to a tennis court.
While the Hubble telescope currently orbits earth, the new telescope will sit at the Earth-Sun second Lagrange point 1.5 million kilometers away, and follow Earth’s movements around the sun.
This distance shelters the Webb telescope from radiation and prevents it from being blinded by its own infrared light.
Scientists around the world will use this new telescope to capture images of the first galaxies that appeared in the universe over 13.5 billion years ago.
原文影片請看此
http://bit.ly/1UL7lkI
